The only way is up for our OECD ranking: dead last
Image © 2003 AAP Image/David Ewing
Almost half of people with a disability in Australia are living in or near poverty, making Australia the worst in the developed world, a new report says.
The report by accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), published on Wednesday, also found that Australians with a disability were half as likely to be employed as people without a disability, News Limited reported.
Australia is ranked 21st out of 29 developed nations in this category.
The report, 'Disability Expectations: Investing in a better life, a stronger Australia', found that 45 per cent of people with a disability in Australia live in or near poverty, the worst out of OECD countries, where the average is 22 per cent.
The report says broader social and cultural changes are needed to redress the problem.
"It's clear the current system is broken big time," PwC government sector leader Chris Bennett said.
"When you see Australia sitting last in OECD rankings on poverty for people with disabilities, it's just wrong."
John Della Bosca, former NSW health minister and national director for the national disability scheme's Every Australian Counts campaign, said the report outlined ways to improve Australia's ranking.
"We should aim to leapfrog our way to the top of those rankings," he told Fairfax media.
"Fairness is part of our national character, and if we adopt the positions in this report, there is no reason why we can't."
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